The small town of Metula is situated on the border with Lebanon and is located in what once were the biblical cities of Dan, Abel Bet Maacah, and Ijon. It is also the northernmost town in Israel and was founded in 1896 by Baron Edmond de Rothschild, who had purchased the land from a Lebanese landowner by Jabur Bek Junbalat.
Approximately 80 families settled the land, mainly immigrants from Russia who had escaped the pogroms and lived in coastal areas. Many of these new settlers were farming families. Joining them were some families from Petah Tikva as well as a group of scholars from Safed.
Metula is the largest town on the Lebanese border and has a tranquil atmosphere. This pleasant rural village nestled at the foot of Mt Hermon has magnificent scenery and beautiful views and is surrounded by wonderful flora and fauna.
For several years, an attraction that drew visitors to Metula was “The Good Fence,” an opening on the border of Israel and Lebanon and was once the place where Israel passed supplies to Lebanese Christians. In 1976 the Good Fence opened officially, allowing free passage into Israel for Lebanese Christians and Druze to get medical treatment, visit relatives, and some even found work in Israel. This remained in force until June 2000, when Israel withdrew from Lebanon, and The Good Fence was closed.
Although agriculture is the economic mainstay of Metula with its delicious tasting fruits known throughout Israel and around the world, in recent years, tourism has increased due to the opening of the Canada Centre that includes recreational facilities and a world-class Ice skating rink that hosts international events.
There are many beautiful and interesting places to visit around Metula, such as the Ayun Canyon Nature Reserve with its lovely waterfalls. On the west side of the town, the Dado Lookout observation point has enthralling views of Mt Hermon, the Hula Valley, Lebanon, and the Golan Heights.
